200 THE THOUSAXD ISLES. 



densely wooded than now, trusting for his support to his 

 rod and line for he rarely dared to use his rifle and to 

 the scanty supplies brought by his daughter ; the latter 

 residing on shore watching for any expedition that 

 might be fitted out against him, and at the first intima- 

 tion darting off in her light canoe in spite of rain or 

 storm, in the daylight or impenetrable darkness, and 

 arriving at her retreat, perhaps just in time to warn him 

 of his danger and enable him to escape. Imagine the 

 woman's ready wit, ever at work, ever on the watch for 

 him; imagine the father's joy on seeing her amid his 

 trying and wearisome solitude, and her anxiety till he 

 is once more out of danger. The thought that such 

 things had really happened so near to where we then 

 were, added to our excitement,' and was only dissipated 

 on passing Whisky Island, which is in dangerous prox- 

 imity to the former. 



Our boat was headed down-stream and driven before 

 the strong wind ; we moved rapidly with varying suc- 

 cess till we arrived at one little shoal, the name of which 

 I have forgotten, or it never existed, and where we found 

 fish innumerable. Frequently every hook on both 

 lines was engaged ; often I landed three, sometimes four, 

 and once or twice five fish at a time. The sport was 

 wonderfully exciting ; first one rod bent, then the other ; 

 and then, while I was busy foiling the struggles of fish 

 so numerous that they made the water foam, I would see 

 with a feeling of despair the other rod bend and the line 

 slowly render round the reel. It was impossible to move 

 faster, useless to hurry ; but, as quickly as I could and 

 dared, the fish were brought to net. This shoal was 



